American cuisine is as widely varied as the American people themselves, and many types of ethnics food can be found in restaurants, diners, grocery stores, and even fast food locations today. Due to the proximity of Latin America such as Cuba and Mexico, Mexican food is the most popular ethnic food in the United States, but others such as Italian, Greek, Indian, and other foods are common and quite popular as well. Many Americans love Asian restaurants and foods for lunch places such as Japanese restaurants, catering services offering Thai or Chinese food, and more. An interested customer may look up Asian catering for an event where many attendees may like Chinese, Korean, or Thai food, and many restaurants of all levels may offer Asian cuisine too. An online search such as “thai restaurant buffalo ny” may be a fine option for someone visiting that city, and entering “thai restaurant buffalo ny” along with your ZIP code may further narrow down the results. On the west coast such as long California, Oregon and Washington state, Asian restaurants and catering may be especially common.
Asian Cuisine in the U.S.
What’s the current state of Asian cuisine in the United States? It is safe to say that Asian food has found a secure place in American cuisine, even if it’s not as ubiquitous and dominant as Mexican food is. Americans love Chinese food in particular, and this food is known for having five Key Flavors that define it, according to traditional Chinese medicine. Those five flavors include the conventional sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, but also include “spicy” as the fifth. Not all Chinese food is spicy, but much of it is, and many Americans may like having spicy sauce on chicken or duck or stir-fried vegetables. Chinese food is known for cooking pork, duck, and chicken, but overall, Chinese food has a higher ratio of vegetables per serving than typical American fare. The Chinese consume about twice as much dietary fiber, and a lot of fruits and vegetables will be in a dish. A whole meal might have only one portion of meat, and the rest may be rice and vegetables, or fruits.
That’s not all. Chinese food is a staple for fast food and restaurants and catering alike, but other Asian ethnic foods are out there, too. Thai food has proven popular among all Asian foods, and it’s known for involving rice and chicken alongside peanuts and peanut sauce and red peppers, among other ingredients. Someone visiting New York state or Oregon alike may find these restaurants with an online search, ranging from “high end Thai restaurants Portland OR” to “thai restaurant buffalo ny” or even “five star thai restaurant buffalo ny” for a discerning customer. Thai food is also popular for takeout, like Chinese food is.
Japanese food is quite popular as well, and like many other Asian foods it makes generous use of rice and vegetables, often steam-cooked, and limited meat portions. Japanese food is known for many different noodle types such as ramen and soba noodles, as well as miso soup and even grilled meat known as yakiniku. What is more, Japanese food is distinctive for sushi, raw fish and other sea life typically served with sticky white rice and condiments such as pickled ginger and wasabi. Sushi originated in China, but it is popular in Japan and elsewhere and is often associated with that island nation. Some chefs dedicate themselves entirely to sushi, and this food is known for its emphasis on limited portions but strong flavor and elegant presentation. This is true in the United States too, though some customers may find the idea of raw fish too exotic and may try cooked Japanese foods such as noodles or grilled meat and vegetables.
Options
Like other ethnic foods such as Italian or Greek or Mexican, Asian foods may be found in high-end restaurants, more moderate sit-down diners, or even fast food chains or catering. An event’s organizers may want to find a caterer for something such as a large birthday party or a sports event or a charity event, and they may take votes on what sort of food to get. Chinese may prove popular, and local caterers may be found online.